French Collection Cardinal Richelieu Aged 6 Years
$11.00
Allow me to introduce you to Jochy Blanco. He’s one of the best tobacco growers in the world. José “Jochy” Arnaldo Blanco III is a fourth-generation tobacco grower, a second-generation cigar maker, and the CEO of Tabacalera Palma in the Dominican Republic. It’s in his blood. His great grandfather, Manuel Blanco Lozada, started growing tobacco when he emigrated from Spain to the Dominican Republic in the mid-1800s. In 1925, Jochy’s father, José Arnaldo Blanco II, founded Tabacalera Palma, which made him one of the country’s earliest cigar makers. @tabacalerapalma is their instagram handle. You want to talk about a legacy? The kind of thing all the other guys are trying to claim? This is the real deal. Jochy made the Good Morning/Uncle Paulie’s Deli for us. Jochy does have a brand called La Galera, but our relationship with this farm is going to bring out the best damn cigars they ever made. Jochy is allowing us to rummage through the cigars he makes and pick the winners. Take this French Collection for example. Jochy visits France from time to time to explore vineyards and 300-year-old churches. On a trip about 5 years ago he visited an art gallery, and noticed many Old Master painters focused on religious figures as their subject matter. He was intrigued and started to research these figures, mostly cardinals. He became inspired to make cigars named after a few of them, that would pair well with wines. Art inspiring art. His ode to France and its rich history of wine, art and culture. No one could understand the branding, so they decided against selling them as a line, but these cigars were so damn good Jochy didn’t mind taking up some space and aging them for his own stash. Luckily, Privada came along and started doing some digging. Jochy offered, we tried the sticks and immediately decided to take most of them. He accepted, and this is the cigar you have in your hands. You may not get this exact cigar again, but we will have a few other items from the collection in the shop.
In stock
Description
Tasting Notes: On the body I get natural tobacco and cola with vanilla notes. The foot is sweet cedar and rich tobacco. The cold draw is salty with dried apricot. The first third starts with cola, cedar, white pepper, toffee, vanilla and sweet cereal that reminds me of frosted flakes. The second third doesn’t change much but fruitiness is present. Wood, leather, cinnamon, sweet hay, and phantom flavors of violet. It’s getting toasty with roasted hazelnuts and peaty leather. The final third is sweet and buttery and salty minerals appear. There are florals along with a cashew-like creaminess. The cola comes back and reminds me of those gummy coke bottles that no one but me likes. lol.
Pairing Notes: Drink a cola (think RC or A-treat). Try a rum and coke with this. Eat gummy cola bottles an hour before. Cognac or aged rum. Peated Scotch. Dried apricots. Amber lager. After vanilla ice cream. Cinnabon. After red meat. HUGE SHOUT OUT to @tabacalerapalma Show these guys love so they keep letting me raid their vaults!! #weareprivada
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6 reviews for French Collection Cardinal Richelieu Aged 6 Years
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scott carpenter (verified owner) –
**The ratings buttons don’t work. This is a 5 star stick**
This is becoming a favorite. Smooth draw, tasty smoke, lasts 2 hours if you are not a hotboxer. So tasty I am tempted to take a bite of it! I don’t get tastes like Brian, but the tobacco tastes nice. A little overboard on the packaging (see that sleeve!) but it wraps a great stick.
Fernando Leites (verified owner) –
My least favorite out of the French connection but still a very good stick. Earth,Wood, Cedar,If that’s what you like then this is a good stick for you.
Todd Clark (verified owner) –
Humidor time: 621 days
Humidimeter reading: Head – 66, foot – 59
Appearance and construction: A few minor veins, a light sheen on the slightly mottled wrapper, box-pressed, and a moderately soft pack with no soft spots… Gave it a punch and PLD was moderately open. (13/15)
Flavor: PLA gave a whiff of tobacco. The light gave a mild/medium profile with a slightly spicy retro and notes of light wood, spice, and a hint of coffee. The spice in the nose faded quickly with the other flavors remaining consistent until the end of the 2nd third when the coffee ramped sharply, then quickly faded a bit into the last third. Pretty tasty, overall, although it could have used a bit more spice and missed my wheelhouse by a bit due to the lack thereof. Strength was about medium. (22/25)
Smoking characteristics: The light produced an easy draw, smoke volume on the low side of optimal, and an even burn to start. The burn stayed even through the first third with the ash falling at 1 1/4″ leaving a small cone. Smoke output reached optimal about this point and stayed there for the duration. Things were then uneventful down to the nub. (24/25)
Overall impression: Another one in this collection that I got from the Privada CC shop awhile back and a fine smoke it was, as were the other two. Thinking I need to check out what else Jochy Blanco’s done as I’m pretty impressed so far. (31/35)
Burn time: 1:48
Rating: 90
William Payment (verified owner) –
This is my favourite ceegar from the French collection! It’s a banger and the age has really allowed the flavours to mellow and meld together to create a masterpiece
Dave Chandler (verified owner) –
This was my least favorite of the French Collection but I still plan on purchasing it again … kinda like saying a girl is the worst looking playmate.
I found excellent quality across the board with this series and its obvious that there’s plenty of the right kind of age on all three of these sticks. Complex and well-integrated – I’ve never seen any of the French Collection expressions anywhere aside from Privada but these certainly won’t disappoint and offer excellent value – as I’ve paid four to five times as much for sticks of lesser quality.
Jason Swiney (verified owner) –
This is my favorite from the French collection series, maybe my favorite from Jochy overall. Great stick! Tons of flavor, awesome draw and so smooth!